Rodger wrote
>Would it be fair, then, to describe tecophilaea as a snowmelt species?
>
>I ask because to my small mind, snowmelt species are quite difficult
>to grow in
>captivity, but tecophliaea is reasonably easy to grow.
The description of the habitat sounds to me like the moisture it gets
is from melting snow, but one must consider the elevation where the
plants are growing and other climatic factors as well as the mere
fact of melting snow. Some common garden bulbs grow in nature just
following the snowmelt, such as Crocus sieberi and many tulips. The
difficult ones, I think, are those from higher elevations where they
have a very long winter dormancy in stable conditions under snow.
Nonetheless, I don't grow Tecophilaea in the open garden, though I've
heard it has been done in this area (Portland, Oregon), nor do I keep
the other plants I mentioned that flower with in in the open. They
are all under cover, though not frost-free. Even Fritillaria pudica
is iffy in the open garden here, though very common just over into
the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains. Rodger might be able to
grow it better if he's in the rain-shadow part of Vancouver Island?
Jane McGary
Portland, Oregon, USA